Brad Hodge demonstrated a crunchy innings down the order against Sunrisers Hyderabad and guided his team Rajasthan Royals into the qualifier of the IPL 2013.

Sunrisers Hyderabad scored 132 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allocated 20 overs and Rajasthan Royals achieved the target by smashing 6-135 in 19.2 overs.

Brad Hodge (Rajasthan Royals) was announced ‘Player of the match’ for his spicy unbeaten knock of 54 off 29 mere balls.

The India Premier League – Eliminator, was played on Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi.

Earlier, Cameron White, the skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad, won the toss and elected to bat first. The decision hit back when they lost their two top order batsmen for just three runs in 2.3 overs. White and Shikhar Dhawan held their nerve and hit two boundaries in the coming overs while negotiating the rival bowers nicely. White added another 3 fours but was caught by Kevon Cooper at mid-off on the bowling of Siddharth Trivedi for 31. Darren Sammy got together with Dhawan next and the run rate dropped in the following overs.

Brad hodge – Match winner

Sammy hit the first six of the innings in the 15th over as Dhawan was gone at 83 in 15.4 overs after scoring 33 off 39 balls with 3 fours. Thisara Perera walked in next and tried to pick the run rate with a few boundaries. Darren Sammy ran himself out for 29 off 21 with 3 lofty sixes and Perera became the next victim for 11. Sunrisers Hyderabad reached 132 with three wickets remaining at the end of the 20th over.

Vikramjeet Malik was the most successful bowler with two whereas James Faulkner, Shane Watson and Siddharth Trivedi shared one wicket each.

Rajasthan Royals lost their captain, Rahul Dravid, at 13 as Shane Watson joined in with Ajinkya Rahane. Watson hit 4 fours in the coming overs as Rahane dispatched the first six of the innings in the sixth one. Watson was caught by Sammy off Karan Sharma for 24 off 15 deliveries with 5 fours in the next over.The second wicket fell at 50 after 6.4 overs and Ajinkya Rahane became the fourth victim five runs later after scoring 18 runs. Rajasthan Royals were reeling at 5-57 in 10 overs when Brad Hodge associated with Sanju Samson.

The duo kept the chase alive with occasional boundaries and Hodge opened up in the 14th over with 2 sixes and 1 four followed by another six in the 15th. Samson lost his wicket at 102 in 15.5 overs after contributing 10 runs and was replaced by James Faulkner who added a couple of fours in the next two overs. Rajasthan Royals required 10 runs to win from the last six balls as Hodge punished Darren Sammy for 2 back to back sixes in the first two balls of the 20th over and won the game for his team. Brad Hodge remained unbeaten for 54 off just 29 balls with 5 towering sixes and 2 fours, Faulkner was at the other end with 11 as their team powered 6-135 with four balls to spare.

Darren Sammy was the top wicket taker with two whereas Dale Steyn, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra and Karan Sharma secured one wicket each.

Rajasthan Royals won the tricky game by a margin of four wickets and will face Mumbai Indians in the qualifier 2, on Friday May 24, 2013, at Edens Gardens, Kolkata.